Prior work on the extension of DMS (dynamic message signs) to display the messages in connected vehicles may be summarized by an examination of a project described by Park et al (“the Park project”).1 That project resulted in the in-vehicle visual and audible display of messages on DMS on a portion of a freeway. The system operator can enhance these messages or provide his own messages to the display in the vehicle. The project used roadside equipment (RSE) to communicate to the vehicle at certain locations on the freeway. Limited testing using smartphones was also performed. 1 Park, H., Babiceanu, S, Kluger, R, Smith, B., and D. Recht, “A Connected Vehicle-Enabled Virtual Dynamic message Sign System Demonstration and Evaluation on the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed”, Mar. 15, 2016.
The current patent application overcomes the following limitations of that project:                The prior system's software can only be used in connection with DMS on a freeway. The limited capability of the data structures employed do not support its use for signs for vehicles on arterials (ADMS) or for use with messages that are oriented to corridors (a roadway network that contains portions of the freeway system as well as surface street arterials)2 and whose traffic management is coordinated by transportation management centers (TMCs). These limitations restrict the numbers of motorists with access to the information to those that are already on the freeway and are close to the DMS.        The prior system is labor intensive with regard to its ability to provide in-vehicle messages beyond the text on the DMS (enhanced messages). Labor saving by automated generation of additional messages will facilitate wide-area deployment.        The prior system does not prioritize additional messages that may be added for a DMS location. Prioritization and message size limiting may be required for safety reasons and to provide compatibility with the message display techniques available in the vehicle.        The prior system does not consider the type of message that the motorist prefers. For example, while travel time messages are currently often provided on DMS/ADMS, the motorist may prefer messages indicating:                    A summary of level of congestion with locations            Whether the congestion is “normal” or “unusual” for this time period. 2 R. Gordon, “Intelligent Transportation Systems—Second Edition”, Springer, ISBN 978-3-319-14767-3, 2016.                        
ETSIMS automatically generates messages of this type from travel time messages. The message format actually displayed may be selected by the motorist or automated vehicle.
The prior system has no capability for automatic structured search of databases that may lead to additional messages. For example, an unusually long travel time as reported on a DMS may have its cause in a weather related event (e.g. flooding). While a TMC operator may or may not recognize this connection, (if he is, in fact, actually aware of the event), ETSIMS' automatic data base search using keywords will likely identify this connection and provide an additional automated message.